The Demon Seed
by Jewel of Hell
Summary: Dedicated to Demonskid and darkneko666. See warnings within. A Necromancer, a Sorcerer, a Creator, an Enchanter, and a Confessor. A world in danger. A demon of unimaginable power. And the terrible burden thrust upon them by the Demon Seed.
1. Prologue

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: Even if you don't like MPreg, give this a chance. Like everything I write, it's not a typical plot device. This story won't be updated very regularly, because I'm trying to finish _In My Master's Arms_ before the end of my life, lol. But I wanted you two to know I'm working on it.

* * *

**__****Prologue**

_"Heero! Heero, stop! We can't keep going like this!"_

_"Shut up, Quatre."_

_"You're not the one feeling the pain!"_

_Tormented cobalt eyes flashed to meet blazing aqua as the taller, slightly older youth finally stopped his mad, headlong dash. For several moments the Creator's mouth worked, but no sound issued forth. Finally, the Enchanter took a step forward and gripped his arm._

_"You're no use to Duo like this."_

_"I can't help it," Heero all but whispered. "I can't bear the thought of that demon having any sort of hold on him."_

_"I know," Quatre soothed. "None of us can. But you couldn't take him on right now if you wanted to. Even if you got to the Gate, what would you do? Azrong would just torture you with his predictions of Duo's suffering. You should be with him right now. Not way out here where you can't hold him. Duo will give birth in just a few days. You should be with him."_

_Heero closed his eyes. "I can't seal the baby," he hissed, feeling as though that condemned him. "It won't be a full-blooded demon. Azrong was right. There's nothing I can do."_

_Quatre grabbed both his upper arms and shook. "Yes, there is. Be with Duo right now. When the baby is born, we can sever its link to Azrong. He won't be able to reach it. In order to do that, I'll need _you_ there, Heero."_

_Drawing in a slow, deep breath that burned his lungs, Heero finally gave in and nodded. "I'll return. I should be with Duo now." He started back down the mountain. He stopped one last time, looking over his shoulder._

_"Heero?"_

_"I'm going to kill him, Quatre. I don't care what it does to this world."_

_He felt more than heard the sigh. "I know."_


	2. The Pool of Hidden Truth

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: Nebelkind, in answer to your question yes. I got the idea for Confessors from Terry Goodkind's books (didn't care for them, but there were some good ideas). My Confessors are a touch different, though. MeiWolf, I think this chapter answers your question.

* * *

**The Creator, the Necromancer, the Sorcerer, the Enchanter, and the Confessor**

"This, Maxwell, was a very dumb idea."

Duo Maxwell, eighteen-year-old demon/nymph hybrid, grinned widely at one of his four best friends, Chang Wufei. "Oh, lighten up. Geez you can be such a stick-in-the-mud!"

Wufei raised an elegant eyebrow. "I am no such thing. I am merely being the voice of reason, since it seems to have deserted all of you."

"Not all of us," muttered Duo's absolute best friend (and more, with any luck), Heero Yuy.

Quatre Winner, a pretty sprite, leaped to Duo's defense. "Come on. We all agreed this would be fun."

Trowa Barton pointed a thumb toward the group of extremely pissed-off centaurs. "I doubt they would agree."

Duo, who was one of the rarest hybrids of immortals the world had ever seen, gave his friends an unrepentant grin. They were an odd batch of young men. Heero Yuy, who was the third oldest, was a nineteen year old sylvan from the glistening vales of Sylandri. The sylvan were unusually strong fey, and one of the rarer forms of life in the world. Sylvan didn't eat, but instead fed directly from the life energies of any living thing. They were also called _glaistig_, which in the tongue of the Ancients meant 'blood drinker'. Sylvan could drink blood if they chose, but few did.

Duo himself was the youngest by about half a year. He was more unusual still in that he was a half demon, half fey. Normally the two didn't procreate, and seldom did they even get along. Stranger still was his heritage. His mother was a nymph, one of the shy but vibrant folk who also habituated the vales of Sylandri, though they stayed closer to the rivers and lakes. His father was a Nightwalker. Nightwalkers were reclusive demons who only rarely ventured out of their homes to seek the company of the living. They weren't undead, but only Nightwalkers could command the undead.

Trowa was a twenty-year-old efreet. Like his demonic kin he had a secret love for fire, but he controlled it well. The efreet didn't often leave the fiery pools of Trivance, but Trowa was a bit more reticent than most of his kind.

Quatre was a nineteen-year-old sprite, the liveliest and friendliest of all fey. Sprites made homes anywhere in the world they could safely live, though like all fey they originated in Sylandri. Quatre had a heart of gold, and he was Duo's best confidant. And often co-conspirator.

Wufei was the oldest. He was twenty, and he hailed from the ancient and proud race of _acarci_, the Way demons. Way demons were shapeshifters who could claim the form of any animal, though when they did the animal would be all black. No Way demon had hair any other color, and their eyes were either red or black. Some said that when the gods created the world they made sure no animal could ever be solid black so as not to offend the Way demons.

So aside from the fact that Duo and his best friends were all either immortal fey or demon (or both, in his case), they shared one more thing in common. They were all elemental magic users. Heero's element Earth made him a Creator, Duo's element Water made him a Necromancer, Trowa's element Fire made him a Sorcerer, Quatre's element Spirit made him an Enchanter, and Wufei's element Air made him a Confessor.

Heero was a Creator, healers strongly attuned to all life. Powerful Creators could even create life, and Heero was the most powerful the world had ever seen.

Duo was a Necromancer, dealers in death and darkness. Powerful Necromancers could separate souls from the body and raise the dead, and Duo was the most powerful Necromancer the world had ever seen.

Trowa was a Sorcerer, energy channelers stronger than any witch, wizard, or simple conjurer. Powerful Sorcerers could cast offensive spells that no army in the world could defend against, and Trowa was the most powerful Sorcerer the world had ever seen.

Quatre was an Enchanter, telepaths and empaths who could see through all lies and uncover all truth. Powerful Enchanters could see through any illusion and win over even the wildest beast, and deceive even the most cunning mind, and Quatre was the most powerful Enchanter the world had ever seen.

Wufei was a Confessor. Even among his kind he was rare, for most Confessors were female. Males could seldom harness the power, lacking the discipline and patience. Confessors were keepers of justice, and they were able to bend anyone to their will with a single touch. There were rumors of Confessors so powerful they could confess people with a mere look, and Wufei was one of them.

The five boys had come together in the sacred druid haven Cercera Grove, each taken by their families when it became apparent they were meant for much more than normal lives. Wufei had been the first to come. Trowa had been next, followed a few moons by Quatre. Heero had been next, and Duo last by a handful of months. They'd been eleven, twelve, and thirteen at the time. Now seven years later they were well on their way to becoming accomplished magic users.

If only they could stop getting in trouble.

"I won't even ask which one of you came up with this harebrained scheme," the largest centaur growled. "Duo Maxwell, I believe the druids still rue the day they let you enter the Grove. God above boy, where do you come up with these ideas?"

Duo folded his arms, ignoring the silver-swirled-blue blood trickling down his arm, still grinning. "You have horse asses," he pointed out in what he thought was a perfectly reasonable tone. "We're all pretty light, I would think. Is it too much to ask for a ride?"

At Duo's side, Heero twitched and uttered a groan probably no one else even heard. The centaur reared up a little, his front hooves striking the ground hard enough to kick up dirt.

"Horse asses!" he thundered. "Your audacity is worse than a willow wisp! I've a notion to take you back to camp and beat you senseless!"

"Ah, please forgive him," Quatre quickly cut in, and Duo could sense him sending out soothing trickles of Spirit. "The connection between his brain and mouth is sluggish. I think it's because Heero knocks him around so much when they spar. It's true we shouldn't have tried to trick the centaurs into a trap. I think Duo thought it would be funny to play a practical joke on you, because everyone else in the Grove has been targeted already."

Duo gave him a sour look. _'Spoilsport. Blame it all on me, why don't ya.'_

_'I'm trying to save your skinny ass, ungrateful demon,'_ Quatre returned, eyes sparkling with good humor.

"Um, yeah, heh," Duo piped up. "He might be right. 'Ro is so much better than me, and he never goes easy. So it's his fault, really."

Heero twitched again. "Maybe if you weren't so Hanthra-be-damned lazy, you would actually improve."

"And would exercise a little self-discipline," Wufei added.

"Naa, everyone's picking on me," Duo pouted. "You weren't all so virtuous this morning."

The centaur abruptly huffed out a laugh. "You boys. Never mind. Duo, I know your intentions are never malicious, so I forgive you just this once. But don't even think about doing it again! And I suppose I should feel honored that you finally feel comfortable enough with us to try a practical joke. Now be off with you. I suspect there are lessons of some sort you should be attending right now."

Giving the magical beast a cheeky salute, Duo led the way out of centaur territory. He slipped his hand into Quatre's, humming and winking. So his plan failed and sort of backfired. Who cared. It had been fun. Quatre laughed.

"Only you could get away with insulting centuars like that, Duo! Anyone else would have been killed for sure."

"You have some spirit of dumb luck sitting on your shoulder," Wufei muttered.

"Ack, you guys never back me up!" Duo whined. "When the trouble goes down, it's always my fault."

"Maybe if the trouble didn't always go down," Heero mused, a thoughtful look on his face.

Duo glared at him. For years now Duo had harbored a secret crush on the sylvan. He was so massively unfairly good looking, with his messy dark brown hair, golden skin, and piercing cobalt eyes. He was a work of art, a masterpiece of perfection, he was strong and brilliant and good at anything he tried and confident and maybe just a tad full of himself. But he'd never looked at Duo as anything more than a friend, and Duo had no idea what to do to get the sylvan's attention.

He'd tried flirting, teasing, hinting, and dressing to best display his, er, assets. Nymphs were generally considered the most beautiful of all beings, mortal or immortal, and Duo knew very well how beautiful he was. In the right light his hair glowed, the long cinnamon-chestnut tresses falling well below his waist. His skin was flawless and unmarked, and Quatre often told him it felt like silk to the touch. His eyes were an unusual shade of indigo-most nymphs had eyes the color of bark or grass. That was the demon in him.

But Heero seemed oblivious to it all. He kept Duo at a careful distance, never cold enough to be unfriendly but never warm enough to suggest he was open to advances. It was disappointing.

"Maro is going to be unhappy with us," Trowa said, looking toward the cleverly-concealed temple.

The effort gone into hiding it, Duo had always thought, was wasted. No one could get into the Grove unless the druids permitted it. Still, it looked kinda cool. The five immortal boys traipsed through the trees and growth to the temple doors, and they drifted open. As soon as they stepped into the anteroom, Maro appeared. The druid was quite old, her hair white as snow and lines around her eyes. Which at the moment were slightly narrowed. Heero immediately stepped in front of the others.

"Maro," he said, inclining his head to their teacher. "Please allow me to apologize for our missed lessons-"

"Hush," she said, holding up a hand. "I am to escort you five to the Pool of Hidden Truths. Come." She turned and began walking away, her dark amber robes making scarce a sound.

Duo swallowed. The Pool of Hidden Truths? That was deep in the temple, a place where the druid Elders gathered to discuss matters of great importance. Were they in that much trouble?

All five of the Elders were there. Their faces were unreadable, their eyes blank. Maro bowed to them, moving to the side. Between the druids and the boys stood the Pool, its deep bark basin worn completely smooth over the ages. The water shimmered in the faint light, causing shadows to dance across the walls and ceiling. Here was where the Elders learned secrets of the future and interpreted prophecies handed down from Vashti, the Demon Goddess, and Hanthra, her sister, the Fey Goddess.

"Maro," the youngest Elder said in the typical musical tones of the Elders, "thank you for bringing them. Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei, please step forward to the Pool."

Duo swallowed and tried not to look nervous as he and the other four obeyed.

"It was rather unusual circumstance that brought you to us," she went on. "It is with a heavy heart I must tell you that today, you must leave the Grove."

"What!" Duo exclaimed. "You're kicking us out? I know I've gotten us into a lot of trouble over the years, but you know, no one was ever hurt and it's not like we did it out of spite and-"

"Silence, little one," she cut him off, eyes sparkling. "This is not a punishment. The five of you have been chosen by the Blessed Vashti and Hanthra for a great destiny. A prophecy came to us last night, and we have spent the time since then trying to interpret its meaning. A great danger is threatening the world, and in response a great champion has been chosen to combat it. The task of finding, guiding, and protecting this champion has been given to the five of you."

For a long while after she finished, Duo just ogled. His tongue seemed frozen solid, and his mind turned to mush.

"Silia," said one of the other Elders, her eyes bright with amusement, "I do believe we have finally rendered our Duo speechless."

Quatre and Trowa, damn them, snickered, and Wufei and Heero both snorted.

"Well, wouldn't _you_ be speechless too?" Duo demanded, giving his friends heated glares. "It's not every day someone just says, 'Hey, guess what. The great Vashti and Hanthra have chosen you for this mighty important mission that seems like the fate of the world just might hang in the balance.' What the heck would _you_ say!"

Silia chuckled. "It didn't last long. You five, my darling boys, have become so dear to us. From the moment your parents brought you into the Grove we have known you were destined for greatness. We just had no idea how great. You will change the world, and you will save it. But time is not on our side, you must leave tonight."

They were quiet a moment longer, Duo still not sure what to say, then Heero spoke. "You're sure about this prophecy? Sure that it's . . . us?"

Silia smiled. "Yes. We have utmost faith in the five of you. You will find this champion, and you will help him defeat great evil."

Duo watched as Heero closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were bright and clear. "Tell us what we need to do."


	3. The Librarian in Cancaredes

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: Know what my favorite lunch of all time is? Toast half an onion (or egg) bagel. Put some tomato and orange or yellow bell pepper slices on it. Cover it with cheese and microwave long enough to melt cheese. Sprinkle with salt or cilantro, and enjoy. It's delish. That's what I just ate, and now I'm drinking coffee. I tell you this, because I'm just random enough to wonder what other people are eating or drinking when they're writing. If you've ever wondered the same, now I've satisfied your curiosity. LOL

Oh, and there is no Relena bashing in this story. She's kinda a good guy (gal). Imagine that!

* * *

**Prophecy of the Champion of Light**

"So where are we going?" Duo demanded.

Heero Yuy did his best to stop the annoyed/amused smile from showing on his face. He'd known it was only a matter of time before the loud-mouthed _baka_ piped up with some dumb question the answer to which he really ought to know. Funny how a person could get on someone's nerves so badly, and yet mean so much at the same time.

"Cancaredes, _nimshid_," Wufei said coolly.

"Call me idiot, _seriit_!" Duo growled, flashing a very rude gesture at the _acarci_. In an eyeblink the bad temper was gone, and he flashed Heero a dazzling smile. "Why we goin' there, Hee-ro?"

Quatre relieved Heero the task of answering as he grabbed Duo in a headlock with a laugh. "Don't you _ever_ pay attention, _sani_? The centaur was right, you're worse than a willow wisp!"

The mix of fey and demon insults and endearments made Heero want to smile again. So far, of course, Duo took the award in that area. _Seriit_ was an incredibly rude fey insult, not normally heard in polite company. As the two youngest fooled around, Duo taking a good-natured swing at his sprite friend, Wufei fell in alongside Heero.

"What are we doing first when we get there?" he asked.

Trowa stepped to Heero's other side. "A plan would be good," he agreed softly.

Heero nodded. Quatre would be no help, sprites disdained plans. Far too impetuous and spontaneous. They just preferred to wing it, literally. Duo would be no help either, his inability to pay attention would prevent him from even remembering a plan.

"Silia gave me several gold crowns," he said. "They're old, but gold doesn't lose its value. We can buy horses and supplies, if we need to we can buy two or three horses and double up. Duo and Quatre are small and light, so I don't think it would strain our animals too much. If we needed, you could simply travel with us in another form, Wufei. A hawk or fox."

Wufei nodded. "We should definitely conserve our resources."

"I think we should go to the library first," Trowa put in. "The one Maro mentioned. We haven't been in the outside world since we were kids. It would be good to educate ourselves."

"And find a map," Wufei put in.

Heero nodded. "I agree. Trowa, you and Quatre find a cartographer. Wufei, you and I will take Duo and go to the library."

Heero could _feel_ Wufei's hesitation. "Do we really want to take Duo to a library?" the _acarci_ asked.

Heero hesitated now, too. "Perhaps not . . ."

Trowa shook his head, visible green eye fierce. "Oh no. I'm not taking both Quatre and Duo by myself. Not unless I can take Wufei with me."

Wufei rubbed his temples. "It's ridiculous we even have to discuss this," he muttered. "If you take Duo, Heero, I'm going with Trowa to the cartographer."

A strange, helpless and frustrated chuckle wanted to escape. Heero swallowed it. "Fine. You three can find me in the library later. You may as well see if you can buy supplies. You will be best at that, anyway, Wufei." The '_you can sense if anyone tries to swindle us'_ didn't need to be spoken.

"Hey, what you guys talkin' about?" Duo suddenly exclaimed, glomping Heero's arm.

Heero vaguely wondered why Duo always plastered himself against the sylvan. Didn't he know it was extremely distracting? The smell of his blood was so strange and intoxicating. The fey and demon intermingled and though he could smell them individually, it was difficult to separate them. Together they formed an altogether new smell unlike anything Heero had ever encountered.

"What to do with you when we get to the city," Wufei said in his usual blunt way.

Duo pulled away to give Wufei a blistering glare. "Hey, I'm not some cat you need to stash away, jerk. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

Wufei snorted. "That would be the day."

"I am gonna _kill_ you!" Duo growled, launching himself at Wufei.

Heero caught him around the waist. "Let's at least act like we aren't kids," he said in what he hoped was a reasonable tone.

"Hn," Wufei sniffed, turning his attention back to the road ahead.

Seemingly distracted by the arm around his waist, Duo beamed up at Heero. "Kay! What are we gonna do once we get to the city?"

o8o o8o

Trowa Barton surveyed the streets of Cancaredes, feeling a little daunted by the sheer mass of people. He'd never actually been in a city before. The efreet lived in Trivance, a land unsuitable for any other form of life in the world. The volcanoes erupted constantly, forming new rivers and valleys of lava and fire daily. These boiling lakes and oceans formed the habitat in which efreet thrived. There were no streets, no shops, no markets, no museums, no city halls.

So Cancaredes, by stark contrast, looked like an overturned anthill. He'd never seen so many humans in one place at one time in his life. In fact, he thought with a frown, he'd never seen a human, period. Humans stayed well away from Trivance. His sister had told him long ago it was because they feared the fiery tempers of the demons and found them unpredictable. Which, Trowa reasoned, was fair enough. Efreet were renowned for their fearsome dispositions and love of fire. A love Trowa shared. He was more able to control it than most of his kin, which rather set him apart. It had been this that led his family to take him to the Grove for his education.

A decision he had never once regretted. His four friends were all like brothers to him, bonded strong enough for blood. And one of them in particular, he thought with an internal smile. An efreet and a sprite were certainly an odd pair, though in some ways they were suitably matched. Both had free spirits, neither liked being contained, and both had a deep passion for magic. And for . . . other things. Trowa tried not to blush.

Duo, of course, noticed. "Naa, what you thinkin' about, Tro?" he said with a grin, bumping his shoulder against the efreet's. "Is that a blush? Thinkin' about some pretty demon?"

Trowa flicked Quatre a very quick glance. He and the sprite hadn't told their friends they were intimate. Both were afraid it wouldn't be well received. The sprite was studiously avoiding looking at him. So he shrugged and gave Duo an uncharacteristic grin. "Could be."

Duo gasped. "You flirt! I can't believe you just teased me! I think I'm goin' into shock!"

Pleased the distraction worked, Trowa snorted softly and saw Wufei roll his eyes.

"We'll meet you three at the library," Heero said, grabbing Duo's arm and steering him away.

Quatre waved, then Trowa took a deep breath and stepped onto the streets. He headed toward the open market near the entrance, hoping one of the many humans would know of a good cartographer. Quatre and Wufei stuck close to his side, but he could tell they were more cautious than nervous. As far as he knew, neither of them had ever encountered a human before, either. People called out to the three boys from their booths, and Trowa finally approached one.

"Hello lads!" the plump woman greeted them, folding her arms across her ample belly. "Come to sample my wares?" She waved a hand at the dark red apples and berries on her tables.

"Ah . . ." Trowa said, managing not to stare. He'd never seen someone so . . . round, before. Demons and fey didn't get to be so . . . large, vertically. "I was hoping you might know a good cartographer. One with a shop in the city?"

She nodded. "You'll find it down the street a few turns. Mazon's Maps, s'called. Before ya go, sure I can't tempt you?"

A tall, extremely skinny man appeared at her elbow. "Can't ya tell he be a demon, Uranda?" he wheezed in a nasally way. "Them don't eat fruit."

True enough, but it annoyed Trowa he just excluded Quatre. If it was obvious he was a demon, it was obvious Quatre was fey. "Thank you for your time, ma'am," he said, inclining his head. Turning on his heel, he continued through the market.

They didn't stop until they reached the shop called Mazon's Maps. The storefront looked a bit shabby, and there was no one inside. Trowa walked up to the desk and rang the bell he found. A few thumps and the owner bustled out.

"Yes, yes, customers. What can I do for you?"

"We'd like a map," Trowa said, too polite to make it sound as though it should have been obvious. Even if it should have been.

"Preferably an enchanted one," Wufei added, "so the terrain moves as we do. One that spans the whole continent, but not so big we couldn't make out details."

"Hm, an enchanted map," the man said. "I see, them aren't as easy to make, mind you. It would cost you a good bit extra."

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Never mind, then. We'll enchant it ourselves. Quatre?"

The sprite nodded. "It would be easy enough."

The man blinked. "You're an Enchanter?"

Quatre shrugged modestly as if it were no big feat. "Yes, a bit talented."

The man frowned. "And not a one o' ya is human. Where you boys be off to?"

"Your concern, cartographer, is our map, not our business," Wufei said, back stiff. "Do all humans pry this much?"

The man held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. I'm a curious sort, far too curious for my own good, I'm afraid. I've a good number o' maps you could enchant easy enough."

"What?" Quatre abruptly snapped. His aqua eyes blazed as he glared at the man. "What were you thinking just then? That glee and greed?"

Both Trowa and Wufei turned icy eyes on the man. Whose eyes widened. "Nothing at all! Well, other than curious at seein' ones like you. Don't get many besides humans in the city anymore."

Wufei raised a black eyebrow. "You're lying."

The man looked uneasy as Trowa took a step forward, drumming his fingers lightly on the countertop. "He," he began, pointing at Quatre, "may be an Enchanter, but he-" now at Wufei-"is a Confessor. Do you know what that means?"

The man went pasty pale, gulping audibly. "Uh, now, h-hang on a minute, boys. There's no need for you to get all hostile on me."

Quatre sneered. "Oh no? Tell you what. We won't get hostile. The second we leave this building, you're going to forget you even saw us, let alone had any customers like us. Now give us a map and we'll pay, or would you rather Wufei confess you right now? Your choice. Confession, or enchantment."

Trowa allowed himself to smile at Quatre's ultimatum, saw Wufei mirror it. The man swallowed. "I'd rather stay in control of my will, thanks." He set the map case down on the counter.

Wufei took it and opened it, examining the map before nodding his satisfaction. Quatre looked at the man a moment longer, Trowa paid him, then the three of them headed back out. Trowa didn't bother asking if the enchantment was done, he knew it was. Wufei disregarded the place instantly.

"Next horses," he said. "Or at least see how much they cost."

Quatre grinned. "I wonder if all humans are this entertaining. Enchanting him was _really_ easy. Duo will be so disappointed he missed it!"

o8o o8o

"So, what are we doing in here?" Duo asked, looking around. He'd never seen so many books in on place all at one time. It made his nose itch to sneeze.

The love of his life let out an exasperated-sounding sound. "Even if I told you, you'd forget an eyeblink later."

"No I wouldn't!" Duo protested, glaring at him. "I only forget things that are boring. Or unimportant. Or don't affect me."

Heero gave him a sideways glance, and Duo was pleased to note the amusement glimmering in his cobalt eyes. Such amazingly pretty eyes. Fey rarely had blue eyes, so the dramatic color made Heero all the more stunning. For a moment he was drowning, then Heero blinked and broke the spell.

"Research," he said simply, heading toward one of the occupied desks. "Excuse me, could someone help us?"

The short, balding man looked up at him and blinked. "Well, you're an unexpected sight," he said in a low voice. "Imagine two fey in Cancaredes. You boys best mind yourselves. There is trouble stirring in this city, sure as I live and breathe."

Duo blinked. Trouble? "Of the bad sort?"

The man frowned. "Is there any other sort?"

Heero snorted. "We'll be careful. Right now, we'd like help with some research."

"Yes, yes. Let me fetch our primary historian. She's also our resident expert on demons and fey. Be but a moment, make yourselves comfortable."

While the man bustled off, Duo looked around some more. The walls and walls and rows and rows of books were broken up by desks like this one, convenient little research stations for visitors and library workers. He plopped himself down at the one just vacated, wondering what this historian would be like. Some short, dusty old sort with too much facial hair? Heero stood at his shoulder, so close his hip was actually touching the back of Duo's shoulder. He tried not to concentrate too hard on the contact.

He was expecting someone else, so he missed it when the librarian-historian approached them. When he finally noticed her (because Heero greeted her), he did a double take. She was a young human woman, maybe in her late twenties? Her hair was a thick, rich blond/brown, her eyes a stormy blue. Her skin was creamy and dotted with freckles across the nose, in all she was quite pretty.

"Hi," she greeted, "I'm Relena. Gromman told me you requested some help with research?"

Heero nodded, but Duo jumped in. "That's right!" he chirped. "Know anything about prophecy?"

The question obviously threw Heero; he gave Duo a strange look. Relena smiled. "A bit, at least about ancient prophecy. What would you like to know?"

"Something about a champion against evil?" Duo replied hopefully.

She looked impressed. "That's one of the oldest prophecies. '_In the time of greatest peril a champion will be born to the side of Light. He will be aided by the five Divine Elements in his quest to destroy evil.'_ That is the whole prophecy, uttered some one-thousand years ago by one of the greatest seers our world has ever known."

Heero sat at Duo's side, inviting Relena to do the same with a gesture. "One thousand years ago," he said softly, "that was when the Demon Prince was sealed from this world."

Relena nodded. "Yes. That prophecy was spoken days after Azrong's sealing."

Duo watched some color drain from Heero's face. "That great evil, it wasn't Azrong, was it?" the sylvan asked.

Duo had never heard of Azrong. And there was a title Demon Prince?

Relena shrugged. "It's not known for sure. Azrong can't be killed, so it's likely."

"Who's Azrong?" Duo asked, curious.

The historian smiled at him. "He's a dragon, the first dragon born to this world eons ago. He is generally considered the most powerful immortal being in the world, and he wrought great turmoil when he was still here. It was the sylvans who sealed him, generations and generations back in the Yuy family."

Duo blinked. "Heero?"

Who nodded. "My family. A long time ago."

"Wow!" Duo exclaimed, impressed. "Quite a legacy! If this Azrong was so powerful, how did they seal him? And what the heck does that mean, anyway?"

He could tell Heero wanted to laugh or smile, but he kept it in. Relena grinned.

"The entire Yuy family gathered to seal Azrong," she said, "after a large group of efreet, Way demons, and other dragons had gathered to fight him and his army. He was weakened just enough they were able to seal him. And that means they opened a gateway back to the demon plane Asharon and banished him through. Then they placed a special lock on the gate so it couldn't be opened again."

Tapping his fingers on his chin, Duo nodded thoughtfully. "So then how will he come back to the world and create mayhem?"

Relena shrugged. "It may be he's found a way to break down the seal. Or it could be another evil entirely the prophecy speaks of. We don't know for sure."

Heero frowned. "Do you know of a way the seal can be broken?"

"No, but Azrong has had a great deal more time than I to discover a weakness."

Heero made a rude sound, which made Duo grin.

"Even if he breaks out," he assured the sylvan whom he loved like crazy, "we'll just shove him back through the gate and seal it again."

After a moment, Heero gave him a hint of a smile. It was deliciously sweet on him, made Duo want to grab him and kiss him. Maybe one of these days, he thought with a private grin, he would do just that. It was high past time, anyway.


	4. The Order of Secrets

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: I noticed the relationships in "In My Master's Arms" are taking a long time to develop, so I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen in this one. I likes writing lemons, and I know you likes reading them, lol. ;)

* * *

**Stirrings in Asharon**

"We don't get many demon or fey travelers," Relena told them, "so you probably haven't heard. Be very, very careful on the open roads. There are rumors of a group of demons offering a reward for the capture of other demons and fey. No one knows what happens to them if they're captured, but they're never seen again."

Quatre Winner nodded thoughtfully. "That would explain the sudden greed in that cartographer's mind."

As sprites went, Quatre was a typical sprite. Like all his kind he could take a nearly-human-sized form, which was the form he usually assumed. Like most fey he was from Sylandri, and that was the only place, usually, that sprites took their other form. That of a small being with butterfly-gossamer wings, only about six inches high. Sprites were known for making mischief and trouble, loving to poke their little fey noses where they didn't belong. Quatre was no exception. Which was why he and trouble-maker Duo got along so marvelously well. He just loved Duo. If it weren't for Trowa, Quatre _might_ have been interested in his best friend. After all, Duo was nymph-pretty. Every being in the world thought nymphs were definitely the most beautiful of all beings, mortal or immortal.

Not that he'd asked every being in the world, but he was sure they did.

"Have there been demons or fey captured in Cancaredes?" Heero asked.

Quatre looked at Heero. He was a magnificent sylvan. Strong like his race, proud like his race. Humans called sprites 'fairies' and they called the sylvan 'vampires'. Quatre thought humans' propensity for giving people names that weren't correct was odd. Humans were odd creatures. And not very pretty. Unlike the fey. And demons. Especially the fiery, fierce efreet.

"Yes," Relena replied, the librarian brushing back her thick, shiny hair. For a human, she wasn't all that unattractive. "But it was a few years ago. That was the last time, to my knowledge, we've seen one in the city. Not that I blame them for keeping away. I get the feeling you five haven't come from any place ordinary, have you?"

"Nope," Duo chirped. "Not ordinary. Or mundane."

"Or boring. Or expected," Quatre added.

"Or typical. Or usual," Duo rejoined, giving the sprite a big grin.

"Or average. Or commonplace," Quatre threw in, returning the grin.

"Enough," Wufei muttered. "What else can you tell us, Relena?"

She looked amused. Quatre supposed she was probably a good eight years older than him. "Not a whole lot, I'm afraid. No one knows where they came from or why they're doing it. They keep to themselves. But I can tell you, the farther toward the southlands you get, the more dangerous it becomes. Rumors have also begun spreading about human villages being burned to the ground, all the inhabitants found dead."

Quatre frowned. _A good time to set out to find this champion,_ he thought. He could sense his four friends thinking the same thing.

Heero rose. "We should be on our way. It's getting late, and we still have things to do before we can rest for the night."

"Wait," Relena said, rising as well. "There is one more thing I must tell you. But not here. If you'll come with me to one of our private studies?" She cast a slightly furtive look about. "No one else should hear this."

Mystified, Quatre followed Heero's lead and followed the pretty librarian. She led them through shelves and shelves of books, both new and old, and opened a locked door with a key and gestured them inside. She only followed once they were all in, and she locked the door behind her. A single, stained lamp burned on the center of what looked like a very unstable table. The flame flickered and cast eerie shadows on the walls. Relena reached into her too-large tunic and drew out an old-looking scroll. With reverent hands, she spread it on the table and used four round stones to secure the corners.

"This is the ancient prophecy," she said, "preserved using magic. I wanted you to see it in its original form."

The prophecy itself was written in beautiful, curving letters that looked like a derivative of both demonic and fey. Quatre could read it, though he'd never seen it before. '_In the time of greatest peril a champion will be born to the side of Light. He will be aided by the five Divine Elements in his quest to destroy evil.'_ Around the words were five symbols, drawn reverently in colored ink. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The Divine Elements. Each symbol was surrounded by a larger pentacle.

"There was a sage who lived near Cancaredes years ago," Relena said, her fingers tracing the words, "when I was just a little girl. My mother used to take me to her to learn the ancient tongues. She was the one who told me of this prophecy, and when I was ten she had a strange vision. She said evil was growing stronger, and that the time of the prophecy of the Champion of Light was drawing near. She said she saw five young immortals, some of fey, some of demon, traveling into Cancaredes seeking answers about the prophecy. She said there would be one who possessed the power of each element, and that they were the prophesied ones who would help the Champion defeat the evil." She looked up from the scroll, her eyes burning into each of them in turn.

"_You_ are the Divine Elements. You are the ones in the prophecy. You will help the Champion drive the evil from our world and make it safe once again."

o8o o8o

Chang Wufei prided himself on his quick, keen mind. He knew Heero relied on him and his quick thinking. And his strong sense of justice. He was a Way demon, an old and proud race of demon that dated as far back as dragons and the sylvan. Right now, however, he felt like he was floundering. He looked to Heero, saw the sylvan looked every bit as lost as he did.

Duo, naturally, was the first to recover from this shock, though he looked flummoxed. "Say what? How could the prophecy possibly know that?"

Heero stirred. "This is what the druids told us, nearly enough, at the Pool of Hidden Truths," he pointed out.

That made Wufei feel a bit more centered. Yes, that was very true.

"But this prophecy is way older than that," Duo protested.

"Vashti and Hanthra are goddesses," Wufei chipped in.

Duo subsided with a little frown.

"But the druids told us many times, the future is not pre-determined," Trowa said slowly.

"A prophecy is not the same as predicting the future," Quatre chimed in, sounding like a lecturing druid. "Prophecies are generally self-fulfilling, because when a person believes the power of prophecy, they set events in motion to ensure the prophecy comes true."

"And we _can_ predict the future," Wufei added, nodding, "to a certain degree. I can predict we will find this Champion based on the fact that we are looking for him."

Quatre giggled.

"There is more," Relena brought their attention back to her. "These demon-hunters I told you about, they're also searching for the Champion. They want to slay him or her and capture the five Divine Elements to use for their own purposes. You five must be careful in your search, and find the Champion before they do."

Heero frowned. "How do you know all this?" he demanded.

Echoing precisely what Wufei was wondering.

Relena reached beneath her tunic and pulled out a small pendant. "This pendant is worn only by the Order of Secrets. We have sworn ourselves to the service of Vashti and Hanthra, and we keep their secrets here on this world. Vashti and Hanthra have placed the Champion here to fight and defeat evil, therefore we are sworn to protect him or her. And the five of you. When you leave here, head east toward Etharod. It has been foreseen that the Champion is somewhere between the provinces of Sovinth and Etharod, in a village."

"Because that's not a small area to begin," Duo snorted.

Wufei privately agreed.

"You will know the Champion," Relena went on, seemingly unperturbed, "when you see these three signs. The sky will open and weep. Blood will rain. And the Champion will see through the eyes of a hawk."

"Obnoxiously obscure," Duo muttered.

"I can only pass on what I have seen or been told," she said, sounding apologetic. "And I will, of course, do whatever I can to help." She handed Heero a small mirror. "If you have any questions, speak my name and your question to the mirror. I will hear and answer if I can."

Heero took it and looked at Wufei. The Confessor knew what he wanted without having to hear it. He nodded. "She's not lying."

"Of course I'm not," Relena said, sounding brisk. "Now, you must finish gathering your supplies and then rest for the night. And Heero, I know you are very strong, but you haven't fed in a long time. You must, or you will grow too weak to help your friends."

Heero blinked, but his expression of surprise rapidly cooled into one of borderline hostility. "That isn't your concern," he said frostily. "Thank you for your help." He inclined his head. "It's time we were on our way."

As they filed out of the room and then the library, Wufei fell into step alongside the fey he believed to be his closest friend and even leader. "Is she right?" he said softly. "Has it been long since you fed?"

He could see the muscles of Heero's jaw clench. "I'm fine," he said shortly.

"Not the question I asked," Wufei said, lightly rapping his knuckles on Heero's upper arm.

"He's right, 'Ro," Duo abruptly inserted, appearing to Heero's right. "You can't just eat like we can. You need to keep up your strength."

There were times, Wufei thought, that Heero reminded him of a powerful force under pressure. Push too much in just the wrong way and the force would be unleashed. There were things on which it was okay to insist. This was not one of them. Sylvan were strange about their needs. Especially this sylvan. Recognizing the growing tension in Heero's posture, Wufei grabbed Duo in a headlock.

"You never shut up, do you?" he demanded, mussing Duo's wonderful hair.

"Gah! Let go of me!" Duo grunted, pushing futilely against Wufei's arms.

Quatre, never one to let Duo have all the fun without him, quickly joined in to help free his best friend. As soon as Duo was free, the nymph hybrid gave Wufei an affronted glare, looking quite rumpled. Quatre snickered.

"But you know, Duo," he said slyly, "he's right." He jabbed Duo in the ribs.

"No one was even talking to you, you traitor!" Duo cried, jumping on Quatre's back.

Amused and pleased by the sprite's impeccable timing, Wufei looked back to Heero to see the sylvan grinning faintly. The tension was gone. Safe to broach the subject again, only carefully this time.

"But you do need to feed," he said quietly. "I don't mind giving, if you need."

A grimace passed quickly over Heero's face. "Thanks, but . . . maybe."

Well, that was better than nothing. Wufei accepted it for now.

o8o o8o

Thanks to Quatre and Wufei, it was simple to procure horses and supplies all for fair prices. They wound up buying three horses, two for riding and one for packing. Wufei disdained, saying he was fine with transforming and keeping pace. If he needed to rest, he told them, he could simply turn himself into a small bird and sit on Heero's shoulder. Which made Heero snort softly and subside.

They found lodging for the night, and the innkeeper offered to give them a discounted rate if Wufei would serve as a Confessor over a matter between him and his partner. Confessors were rare these days, they said, and no one would mete out justice with more fair impartiality. Wufei, of course, agreed. He settled the matter and satisfied both parties, and Heero was pleased by his friend's calm abilities. They ate a warm supper and retreated to settle for the night.

Which presented a difficulty Heero had neglected to consider. He was now alone with Duo in a small room. No one else was there to distract him. And despite what he'd told Wufei, Relena was right. It had been more than a month since he'd last fed, and he was starving. He always fed sparingly, loathe to cause anyone harm. But when the doors were closed and the noise gone, Heero almost reeled when his senses greedily absorbed the feel and unique smell of Duo.

His blood was like an intoxicant. Rich and strange, Heero could smell both the demon and the fey in him. Together they created a whole new aroma, something no one else on this world had. Totally and completely unique. It excited and strangled Heero's senses, tempting him. Taunting him. Begging him to come taste. He knew if he ever gave in to that temptation, he would be addicted. Which was why he never, _ever_ drank blood.

Duo sat on the edge of the only bed, wide though it was. "All right," he said, his eyes unusually serious, "you need to feed. Come on." He patted the space beside him.

Heero shook his head. _Not even for Vashti's blood._

"Heero," Duo said, sounding exasperated, "you just gonna let yourself starve? What would I tell Wufei and Trowa?"

"You'd think of something, I'm sure," Heero said, amused in spite of himself.

"Come on," Duo said, rising, using his most cajoling tone. "You don't have to drink, you've done it before. You're so careful it doesn't even hurt." He wrapped his arms around Heero's shoulders in a loose hug. "Whaddaya say, Hee-ro?"

Shit, he was so close. Heero's vision blurred without his permission, changing Duo from a clearly defined shape to a hazy myriad of color and light. What a person looked like when reduced to their essence. The point at which life pulsed strongly in them all. "Okay," he breathed, leaning forward until his lips rested against Duo's temple. He drew in a deep lungful of air and light and color, and it was so sweet it was almost painful. He swallowed the vivid essence, felt it warm him and entice him. He felt his own arms come up under Duo's, dragging him closer, crushing them together. Sweet, he was so sweet. So warm and sweet and strange and spicy and unusual and hot and . . .

_Stay in control,_ he thought, forcing his senses to clear. This was one thing humans deeply feared about the sylvan. It was so easy to kill. A single sylvan couldn't drain one person's entire essence, but a small group of them could. Three, maybe four.

His heartbeat slowed, his breathing evened. He drank down the sweet nectar that was Duo, and he felt strength and heat flood his veins. The light and color focused back into Duo, and Heero could feel the nymph trembling. He stabilized his friend. This wasn't the first time he thought how good and right it felt to have Duo in his arms like this. He loved holding Duo. He always had. He was the leader and protector of their little circle, a role he took seriously, especially with Duo.

"You okay?" he murmured, lips brushing against Duo's skin.

The demon hybrid drew in a shaky-sounding breath. "Yeah. It's just so intense. 's like I can feel you inside of me, somewhere I didn't realize there was a place for you to be."

A soft chuckle escaped Heero. Unlike blood, life essence regenerated quickly. "Let's go to bed. We'll both feel better in the morning."

"No arguments here!" Duo agreed, releasing his hold on Heero and flopping down on the bed. He watched Heero take off his boots. "Ne, Heero, thanks."

Heero blinked. "For what?"

Duo smiled. "Trusting me. I know you don't like doing that. So thanks for letting me do it for you."

That intoxicating smell still filling Heero's head, the sylvan was strongly tempted to lean down and kiss that impertinent little mouth, to push open his shirt and lick his chest, and to . . .

"No one else I trust more," he said softly.

Something sparked in Duo's eyes. Something . . . was that what he thought it was? Desire made Duo's maddening scent seem even hotter and sweeter, and Heero resisted the urge to lick his lips. Perhaps it was worth exploring. Because if Duo wanted him and he wanted Duo, then what was left but to act on their desires? Nothing, he thought with a private grin as he climbed in beside his best friend. _Nothing at all._


	5. The Cult of Azrong

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: Last chapter I should have warned I time-jumped in the beginning, lol. I just sorta started it abruptly. Onto the next chapter! This chapter is pretty introspective, not a whole lot of action.

* * *

**Demon Hunters**

"I've been thinking about what Relena told us," Duo announced.

Startling Heero. The five of them had been silent for a time now, each lost in his own thoughts as their horses walked steadily along the road.

Wufei, who'd been pacing them in the form of a small black fox, transformed into his human form. "Oh you have?" he said. "Don't hurt yourself."

Duo gave him a glare. He was sitting in the saddle behind Heero so the sylvan couldn't actually see it, but he could feel its heat and it made him smile.

"The three signs," Duo went on somewhat archly. "The sky will weep? I think that means it will either be raining or will start to rain when we find this champion."

That was a logical assumption, Heero agreed silently, absently. His mind was on other things. Namely this morning. He'd woken to find the nymph had cuddled up to him during the night and was currently wrapped around him. Lying half on Heero's chest, one arm thrown across it, one leg nestled between Heero's. It was a warm and arousing position. It had only gotten better when a sleepy Duo mumbled something and snugged himself even closer, squirming around until Heero finally held him in a proper embrace. That seemed to satisfy the little _baka_, and it was another hour before he woke.

It had been a wonderful hour. Watching Duo's face as he dreamt. Feeling every subtle shift of muscle, having a great deal of smooth skin under his hands. He'd indulged in stroking it, which made the sleeping nymph in his arms all but purr. He indulged further in wondering how Duo would look awake, purring under his hands. All his skin naked and on display for Heero's hungry eyes. Everything about the nymph hybrid confused and excited Heero's senses. Most beings had pale, pastel colors at their essence. Pale blues, golds, silvers, grays, or greens. Duo's essence was a wild clash of blood-red and indigo at the core.

His wandering mind fixed on the closer past. When they'd mounted their new horses, Heero had wanted Duo to sit in front of him, but the demon hybrid clambered up behind him before he could arrange it that way. After a brief deliberation he'd decided it was for the best. Until he could seduce Duo properly, having the nymph sit between his thighs would be distracting to say the least. And the rolling gait of the mare would cause Duo to . . . ahem, rub against certain parts of his anatomy that didn't need that kind of stimulation.

"Oi, Heero!"

Heero blinked. "_Nani_?"

"Geez, you were somewhere on one of the moons, weren'tcha?" Duo teased, nudging Heero in the ribs. "I called your name three times!"

_I'll make you call it more than that, and very soon,_ Heero promised himself. "What?"

"I asked you what you thought."

_What I thought? What were we talking about?_ He didn't remember hearing anything after Duo's suggestion about the weeping sky meaning rain.

Quatre saved him from answering. "How far is Sovinth?" he asked. "I know Etharod is farther east, but how far would it take to ride there?"

Trowa reached into the saddlebags of his own mare. Quatre had given her the somewhat frivolous name Honey, but her dark gold fur did look somewhat like the sweet treat. Trowa unrolled the map the sprite had enchanted.

"Sovinth is a small provice that lies on Etharod's western border," he said. "About fifty leagues from here."

"We could make that in a week, maybe," Wufei said with a little frown. "Especially if we don't stop for anything but resting the horses."

Heero's brain finally checked into the conversation. "I'll boost their stamina," he said. "It'll last for several days. They'll need to rest afterward, but it won't cause them any lasting harm."

"And if it does, I'll just resurrect them," Duo cackled, tightening his arms around Heero's waist. "Or better yet, bring them back as undead. Damn, how cool would that be!"

"We should do it!" Quatre immediately piped up. "Can you imagine us on undead horses?"

Heero exchanged looks with Trowa and Wufei. These two certainly were . . . themselves. _But I wouldn't trade them for normal, boring fey for anything in the world._

"I agree with your assessment, Maxwell," Wufei said, surprising Heero a little. "About the sky weeping meaning rain."

Duo stared at him. "Wow. What did it cost you to choke that one out?"

"When you speak reason, it's only natural I agree," Wufei said, sounding indignant.

But Heero could see a small grin on his lips.

o8o o8o

For three days the five young fey and demons traveled steadily east, enjoying the company and the open road. Wufei supplemented their supplies by transforming into a sleek black wolf and hunting down several plump hares for them to eat. He greatly enjoyed running alongside the horses as either a fox or a cat, or sometimes winging high overhead as a falcon. He didn't usually tire until in the evening just before the sun went down, and then he settled on Heero's shoulder until the sylvan decided it was time to stop for the night.

The horses kept up a relentless pace, rejuvenated by the Creator's spell to boost their stamina. They ate into the distance far quicker than any normal horse could manage, and Wufei was pleased. He would like to find this Champion by the full moon, which was in twelve days' time. What they would do from there he yet didn't know, but there would be time to discuss those matters with this champion when they found him. Or her. Perhaps it would be a woman. Wufei hoped if it was a woman, she would be strong and capable. Not a skinny waif frightened of her own shadow.

His face crinkled up in disgust. If it was a woman, she better be like the druids of the Grove. Otherwise, he would say to hell with the prophecy and defeat the evil, just him and his four friends.

"Heero," Quatre abruptly called softly, "I can sense . . . something. Someone's watching us. Up there, by the river."

Wufei, who'd been sitting on Heero's shoulder as a falcon for the last half league, straightened as the sylvan leaned forward slightly in his saddle. The mare, a dark bloody chestnut mare Duo had named Crimson, picked up on his sudden intensity and danced a little. Heero calmed her with an absent look on his face.

"Intentions?" he asked.

Wufei watched the sprite concentrate.

"Not exactly friendly," he reported with a little frown, "but not quite hostile. They're waiting for us. They definitely want something. And not to make friends. They aren't human, either."

Judging by the look on the sylvan's face, Heero was thinking the same thing as Wufei. The demon hunters Relena had mentioned back in Cancaredes.

"If it's those demon hunters," Duo said, eyes dark as thunderclouds, "they'll have one helluva fight on their hands."

Duo, Wufei thought distractedly, was one of the biggest paradoxes in this little companionship. He was loud and vocal and had an opinion about everything, he seldom paid attention, was easily distracted, had a lackadaisal attitude about everything, and spent most of his time laughing and clowning around and making mischief. Yet his element was Water and his affinity Death. The switch from loud-mouthed _serti_ to grim-faced Death was sometimes unsettling. It was just one of his strengths, his ability to be what the situation called for at the drop of a hat.

"How many are there?" Heero asked, finally bringing Crimson to a halt.

She tugged anxiously at her bit when Honey stopped at her side, and the two mares nuzzled as if to reassure each other. The pack horse, an even-tempered gelding Quatre had named Ash, snorted softly and rested his head across Crimson's back behind Duo.

Quatre rested his head against Trowa's back, closing his eyes. Wufei shifted his talons, knowing from experience Quatre was extending his senses to their full, impressive reach. Looking for those anomalies that would tell him where the rational minds separated from the instinctual ones.

"Six," Quatre replied after a moment. "Two of them are waiting by the riverbank, four are spread out in a good ambush formation. They are all Sorcerers like Trowa, but none of them as strong as we are. In fact, two of them are relatively weak."

Trowa shrugged. "We are young. I could understand why older demons would expect us to be weaker than them. How could they know we received special training from the druids in the Grove?"

_And from each other,_ Wufei thought. All five of them had grown stronger and stronger, pitting their individual talents against each other. Very few demons or fey had that opportunity, since demons all tended to be Sorcerers and fey Enchanters. Necromancers, Creators, and Confessors were rarer magic-users.

"What should we do?" Duo asked, low and soft. "If we fight, we would win and scare them off, but that might make them want us all the more and come back with more, stronger demons."

_Valid point. You do use your head sometimes, Maxwell._

"Discretion is the better part of valor," Quatre remarked.

A favorite saying of the druids.

"I'm not interested in fighting," Heero said, nodding to Quatre. "We'll avoid them. There may be a time when we can't avoid a confrontation, but until then we'll stay away from them. We'll travel around. Quatre, create a false trail in case they come this way looking for us. Wufei, fly ahead and scout the area. Report anything that looks unusual. Trowa, you two catch up with us, we'll find a place to camp somewhere off the road."

Wufei immediately launched himself off Heero's shoulder, winging hard and fast into the sky. He flew high where no one would see him and suspect. There were no all-black animals on this world that weren't demons.

o8o o8o

Duo let his body roll with Crimson's smooth gallop as the mare raced over the road. Behind her Ash kept pace a little less smoothly, built more stocky than the mare. He tightened his arms, smiling into Heero's back. It was so sexy when the sylvan took charge like that. A natural born leader. _Why can't you take charge of me like that, Hee-ro? I promise I'd do whatever you said. Well, almost._ It wasn't in Duo's nature to be _completely_ subservient and submissive. He was glad Heero couldn't see his mischievous grin.

It was full dark by the time Heero stopped. He'd some time ago veered Crimson off the road and away from the river, and now she lowered her head to drink from a small stream. It trickled through the lush forest, catching some of the moonlight and starlight to glitter invitingly. Duo realized he was quite thirsty.

"This is a good place to camp," Heero observed, nimbly hopping from Crimson's saddle and looking around. The stream cut right through a small clearing that would be easy to defend and lay wards.

To Duo's delight, the sylvan held up his arms to the nymph, offering to help him down. Though Duo hardly needed help, he accepted anyway. Placing his hands on Heero's shoulders, he shivered inside at the strong hands that settled around his waist and easily lifted him as though he were a featherweight. These displays of strength never failed to excite Duo. And was it his imagination, or did Heero hold him a teeny bit longer than _strictly_ necessary before lowering him to the ground?

"Ne, how many demons d'ya suppose are in this demon-hunting cult?" he asked as he started gathering loose wood for a fire. Trowa could light it when the efreet and sprite arrived.

Heero, unloading the horses, started laying out their bedrolls. "It could be any number," he said with a one-shouldered shrug. "I would hope for less rather than more, but something vaguely similar to this happened in Azrong's time. His followers formed a cult and went from country to country singing the dragon prince's praises and recruiting new demons to their cause everywhere. Humans, too. They started attacking and killing all who spoke out against Azrong until quite a dictatorship had formed. That was when the sylvan decided they would fight back and seal him."

Clearing grass and ferns away from a small area large enough for a fire, Duo laid the wood down on the dirt. Heero would be able to make it all grow back when they broke camp in the morning. "Sounds like a bad time to be alive," he mused, glad things weren't that grim these days. He hissed when a piece of wood slipped and gouged a sliver into his finger.

He absently brought his fingers to his mouth to suck the blood off, but before he could get that far Heero was at his side gently gripping his wrist. A thrill ran through him when he saw brilliant hunger darken Heero's cobalt eyes, but the sylvan only covered the tiny injury with his hand.

"Let me," he murmured, their faces so close Duo could feel the warm wash of air over his skin.

It made him shiver. "You don' have to," he objected faintly, heart not in it at all. "'s just a sliver."

A warm, sweet tingle raced through his finger straight to the base of his skull as Heero healed the wound. Those skillful fingers of his wiped away the tiny bead of blood, and Duo watched as the sylvan raised them to his lips as though to lick it clean. He stopped and his eyes cleared, then he lowered his hand with a rueful look.

"It's okay," Duo murmured. "I don't mind, 'Ro."

Oh, oh, that _look_ in Heero's eye, it was so dark, so dangerous, so very nearly out of control, it was flame and desire, the sylvan he loved more than anything was _so_ close to him they were almost touching and he was leaning closer and _Oh Vashti, he's going to kiss me-_

"Don't tempt me," Heero breathed across his lips.

So close, _so close_ . . .

They both heard the rustle in the undergrowth at the same time and broke away from each other to see Wufei trotting into the camp as a black fox. While normally Duo loved to see him in this form (it was damn cute), right now he wanted to pick him up, roll him into a ball, and throw him as far and as hard as he could. Or drop-kick him. _Hanthra-be-damned! Heero was gonna kiss me you ass, and you pick NOW to show up?_

Seemingly unaware of Duo's ire, Wufei transformed into his human shape, the stark black clothing making his skin look particularly pale in the wan moonlight. "Road's clear ahead, Heero," he said, "and better traveled. "We could probably disguise our non-human-ness easily enough to blend better until we get to Sovinth."

"Non-human-ness?" Duo repeated with a little growl. "What kind of word is that?"

Wufei looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You've a better one?"

Duo subsided with a fierce scowl. One downside of sleeping in the open. No convenient walls to block out the prying eyes of his friends. Only a few mornings ago he'd awakened in bed with Heero, and since neither of them wore much to bed a great deal of naked skin was aligned with naked skin. It had been so warm and delicious, feeling and seeing all that golden Heero all around. He'd been sprawled all over the love of his life, and Heero hadn't seemed to mind much. _Maybe . . . maybe he wants me as much as I want him?_ Judging from the smoldering heat in Heero's eyes, it seemed a safe bet.

His heart skipped a beat. For the first time he realized he might have reason to hope. That one day, one precious day Heero would realize he loved Duo and take him and make him his own. His lover, his soulmate. Just the thought made him giddy and deliriously happy. He hoped that 'one day' would come soon.


	6. When the Sky Weeps

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: I'm trying not to drag out the build-up, because then we can get into the actual plot. Yayy.

* * *

**The Road To Light**

It took them six days to reach the province Sovinth, and while once or twice Quatre sensed the closeness of the demon-hunters, they never ran into them. Heero had Wufei scouting high and far overhead as a falcon, watching for any hostile groups. When they reached the edge of Sovinth they pushed straight through, heading toward Etharod. Heero didn't let up on their relentless pace until they were practically in Etharod. By that time the horses were beginning to show the strain of his stamina-enhancing spell, so he decided to let them stop in the early afternoon for the rest of the night.

The farming village Trinta sprawled in a peaceful, lazy fashion over the landscape, everything looking lush and green. Wufei had come down out of the sky and had draped himself imperiously over Heero's shoulders as a lithe black cat. He didn't even bother to get down and take his human form as their horses walked up the road and met the first farmhouses. A dog or two started barking, causing the men and women in the fields and yards to look up from their work. Heero had to resist the urge to smile against their open curiosity.

A strong-looking man thrust his shovel into the ground and headed toward the road, and Heero obligingly slowed Crimson to a stop. The man took off his straw hat and wiped his brow, a friendly smile on his tanned face as he held up a hand in greeting.

"Welcome, boys!" he said as he strolled alongside the mare. "Just passin' through, are ya?"

Heero cast a quick glance at Quatre. The sprite just gave him a benign smile, letting him know there was no hostility or anything suspicious on the man's mind. Just friendly conversation. So Heero responded in kind.

He didn't, however, smile. Those he reserved for Duo. "Mostly," he agreed. "We would like a place to stay the night, if you can direct us to a decent inn."

"Only inn here is decent enough for any man," the farmer said with a chuckle. "But you boys are just kids, so you'll stay right here with me and my wife and sons. Got plenty o' room for ye, even that pretty little demon-cat on your shoulders."

Heero felt Wufei bristle at those words and actually couldn't help smiling this time. "Thank you, but really we don't want to trouble anyone-"

"No trouble at all!" the man cut him off. "Our family does well for itself, so we have expansive stables for your horses. They look a mite worn out."

"We've come a long way," Heero said, nimbly dismounting. "Thank you for your hospitality." He felt Wufei tense a little to keep his place as he reached up and offered his arms to Duo.

Looking pleased by the offer, Duo accepted as he always did. Heero was pleased as well - any excuse to get his hands on the demon-nymph hybrid was a good one. He easily lifted Duo out of the saddle and lowered him (a bit too slowly) to the ground. He saw Trowa and Quatre dismounting as well, and the four of them followed the burly farmer up the dirt path to the farmhouse.

"Rajen!" the farmer yelled as he led them out to the stables. "Come on in for a second, boy! Gotta job for ya!"

A tall, lanky youth of maybe twenty jogged in from the field. "What is it, Dad? Who are these guys?"

"Guests," the farmer said. "Boys, this is my second-oldest son, Rajen. He'll take care of yer horses for ya, you five just follow me into the house. I'm sure the missus could rustle up some lunch for you."

They relinquished the horses' reins, and Heero led his friends into the house.

"Name is Randel," the farmer said. "Maive! You around, Maive?"

A stocky woman with apple cheeks bustled around the corner. "What is it, Randel-oh! My goodness. Wherever did you find these handsome boys?" She wiped her hands on her pink-and-white apron.

"Boys, this is my wife," Randel said.

Inclining his head, Heero took over. "Pleased to meet you," he said. "I'm Heero. This is Duo, this is Trowa, this is Quatre, and the cat's name is Wufei."

Maive's eyes widened a bit. "Goodness! A little demon cat!"

Wufei hissed.

Heero's lips twitched. "He may take offense, mistress," he warned.

Maive laughed brightly. "None of that now, Heero! You boys just call me Maive."

"They'll be stayin' a bit with us, Maive," Randel said. "Would you whip 'em up a quick lunch? I've to get back in the fields before Zechs and his brother get back from town. Looks like it might rain."

"Leave them to me, dear," Maive said, shooing her husband out. "Why don't you dears follow me?" She bundled them into the kitchen. "There's the wash basin right there, I'll make you some sandwiches. Just roasted the chicken this morning!"

"Thank you," Heero said, moving to the basin. Wufei didn't move, even as he began to wash his hands and face, surveying all with an imperious look on his face. Smirking to himself, Heero didn't try to make him get down.

"You will have to share a room," Maive said, slicing thick chunks of bread. "We have only two guest rooms."

"That's all right," Heero assured her, moving to her side. "Wufei doesn't take up much room. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"There's some cheese keeping cool in the stream out back, how about you bring that in and slice some nice chunks?"

As he obeyed, Quatre moved to his side to help. _This is strange, don't you think?_ the sprite murmured into his mind.

It was Wufei who answered. _A bit. I know small-town folk are friendly, but offering to let us stay in their home? That seems a bit too friendly to me._

_Ehh, suspicious as ever, Wu-chan,_ Duo snarked, appearing on Heero's other side.

_Call me that again, Maxwell, and I'll cough up a hairball right on your face when you're asleep tonight._

_Shit no!_ Duo exclaimed, trying to control laughing out loud. _You're such a jerk! _He reached up as if to ruffle the black cat's ears, but Wufei jerked out of reach with a hiss, rearranging himself on Heero's shoulders so his head and torso were on the opposite side as the nymph.

_I wouldn't have warned him,_ Heero said, contemplative. _Now he'll sleep with one eye open._

_Not you, too!_ Duo cried in mock-outrage. _You're supposed to take _my_ side, 'Ro!_

_I get the feeling,_ Quatre drew them back to the topic at hand, _that even the farmer doesn't know why he's being so friendly. His own attitude seemed to puzzle him a little. He just felt like it was something he had to do._

_Interesting,_ Heero mused. _I wonder if that means we're finally in the right place?_

_To meet the champion?_ Duo piped up, the excitement showing on his face. _D'ya suppose it's someone in this village?_

_That would be nice, _Quatre sighed. _No more searching._

_By the way, _Wufei chimed in with a lazy drawl, _does anyone know what we're going to do when we find this champion?_

Silence met the question. It was a very good question, Heero thought privately. He'd never gotten that far in his plans. Finding the champion of light had taken all his focus. _It's something we can discuss when we find him,_ he decided.

Wufei accepted that, but Quatre seemed slightly offended.

_What if it's a _her_, not a him?_ he demanded.

Heero raised an eyebrow, sampling the cheese. _Then we'll discuss it with her when we find her._ Sometimes the sprite was sensitive about the oddest things.

_I heard that, Hee-ro,_ Quatre grumbled, putting the same emphasis on the sylvan's name that Duo always did.

Not feeling apologetic, Heero just shrugged. "This cheese is very good, Mistress Maize," he commented. "Is it from your own goats?"

She flashed him a beaming smile. "Most people can't tell it's goat cheese. It certainly is, and what's this Mistress? Didn't I tell you to call me Maize?"

Allowing a hint of a smile, Heero inclined his head. "So you did."

She chuckled, now spreading butter on the bread. "Such a wonderfully polite boy."

**o8o o8o**

After lunch, the fey and demon boys helped Maize set up sleeping space in the two guestrooms. Wufei stayed on his comfortable perch on Heero's shoulders. Really, she had four sets of hands helping her. Why did she need one more? Heero was his favorite perch - the sylvan was strong and so graceful his liquid movements rarely jostled the cat. He caught Maize giving him covert little looks now and then, as though she would love to reach out and stroke his gleaming fur. He appreciated her admiration, but had she tried he would have given her a little something to make her think twice about it in the future. He didn't mind the odd stroke or caress from his friends, but a human?

Ugh.

Heero asked Maize if they could help out elsewhere, and she got all happy over the question. She shooed them outside to enjoy the rest of the day, refusing to hear any more talk of help. Wufei continued pondering the humans' inscrutable kindness.

It was nearing sunset when he heard the sound of horses trotting toward the house. Sometime during the afternoon and early evening, dark rainclouds had gathered overhead, obscuring most of the remaining light. Shifting from his lazy sprawl in mind curiosity, Wufei looked over to see two young men riding up the path to the house. One looked just like Randel, a neatly trimmed beard and a muscular build. The other was leaner and taller, bearing no resemblance to his companion whatsoever. He had a noble bearing though his eyes were kind, and his hair fell down his back in straight, shining platinum locks.

Quite attractive for a human.

Heero took interest, too, rising off the back stoop. Wufei noticed a large, hooded hawk on the platinum blonde's shoulder, and a small deer carcass was draped over the back of the brawny one's saddle. They didn't seem to notice the four boys and cat as they rode their horses straight to the stables, and it was some time before they emerged. They walked toward the house, and Wufei could practically smell their curiosity.

"Hello!" the brawny one called. "Dad told us he invited you boys to stay with us?"

"Yes," Heero answered as they stopped in front of the boys. "I'm Heero."

"Randel Junior," the brawny one introduced himself, "though you can call me Rand or Junior. Most folks do. This is my brother, Zechs."

Wufei decided Zechs must have been adopted, for he bore no resemblance to either Randel Senior or Maize.

Zechs smiled, holding out his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

The moment he and Heero touched, the first raindrops began to fall from the sky. Wufei fluffed out his fur, the significance not lost on him. Was this the Champion of Light? He could feel the sudden spike of interest in his four friends. It was Duo who spoke first.

"I like your hawk." It was predominantly dark brown with a creamy underside and a bright slash of blue around the throat. "Use 'er for hunting?"

Zechs smiled, reaching up to stroke the bird's breast. "Yes. I call her Lucrezia."

"Man's darn handy with 'er, too!" Rand piped up, slapping Zechs' free shoulder. "It's almost like he can see what she sees. 'E don't believe me when I tell him there must be some sort o' magic at work."

Wufei blinked, recalling the second sign. _Sees through the eyes of a hawk. Interesting. It seems he's the Champion. But what about the third sign?_

"Care to give us a demonstration?" Duo asked, a manic grin on his face.

_What are you planning, Maxwell?_ Wufei demanded.

Duo flashed him a quick look. _Just thinking about what we know about prophecy, and that it's self-fulfilling,_ he said, expression unrepentant.

Glad he was in cat form and therefore didn't have to hide his grin, Wufei turned to look at Zechs again. The human seemed pleased.

"Certainly." Reaching up, he removed Lucrezia's hood and made an upward gesture with his hand. She let out a little screech and took to the air.

The hawk spiraled so high into the air she was little more than a dot. Zechs closed his eyes, face drawn in concentration. "She sees a _cacora_ bird," he reported as if it was nothing. "It's big with unusual speckles on its breast feathers."

_Seems he really can see through its eyes,_ Wufei mused.

Lucrezia didn't appear again until she slammed into the bird directly overhead in an explosion of feathers. Wufei heard her sharp shriek, and several drops of red splattered down on Duo's face. It obviously startled the nymph, and he reached up to touch the warm spots. His fingers came away smeared red, and his grin nearly split his face.

"It's raining blood," he practically crowed.

Heero looked at the hybrid, and Wufei saw the sylvan reach a quick decision. He looked at Zechs as the hawk came down with a great bird dangling in her talons.

"Zechs, may we speak in private? There is something we have to tell you."


	7. Issues of Control

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: I'm trying not to drag out the build-up, because then we can get into the actual plot. Yayy. And I've been apologizing a lot for not being better about updating. I'm sorry to say, I will probably have even less time now, because I just became a literacy tutor. I'm going to be teaching an adult how to read and write, which is a very exciting job for me I must admit. ^_^

I haven't gotten any e-goodies in awhile. Send me your love.

* * *

**The Beginning of a Journey Always Takes the Longest**

Heero drew in a slow, deep breath and expelled in in a slow, quiet sigh. Since leaving the Grove, they'd accomplished the first major task. They'd found the Champion of Light. Now, as Duo would say, what were they supposed to do with him?

Zechs Marquise, it turned out, wasn't the biological son of the farmers. He was found abandoned by the side of an old, unused road when only an infant. As Wufei had scathingly pointed out, he was far too intelligent, well-spoken, and good-looking to be a simple farmer. But he was a human, which present its own unique challenges.

The first and most important, he acted vaguely uncomfortable in the presence of demons and fey. Specifically one particular fey. It annoyed Heero immensely to catch the covert glances Zechs slid him, the way he edged to the side when Heero approached, and the faint scent of fear that clung around him. _As if I'd even be interested in feeding on you,_ he thought with disdain. _Have you even looked at Duo?_ Zechs had agreed quickly and easily to accompanying the five immortals, but plain and simple he didn't fit in with them.

Wincing when Wufei shifted on his shoulder and those talons pricked his skin, Heero pulled himself out of his musings and looked around. In a few days they would be traveling out of Etharod and heading into the eastern kingdoms.

"So, the prophecy clearly states that we six must find each other," Zechs said abruptly (startling Duo, who sat behind Heero on Crimson, as usual), "but does it say what we must do then? If not, we should form some sort of plan."

Zechs had the irritating habit of trying to take charge.

"We do have a plan," Duo said, sounding more subdued than usual. "We have a good place to start, at least."

To their left, Quatre stirred. "You're talking about Azrong, right?"

"Yeah," Duo confirmed.

Heero stared at the distant horizon.

"It's dangerous to make assumptions," Zechs said.

"It's a good place to start," Heero said. "There's no reason not to at least check the seal."

"Do you know where the seal is?" Trowa asked.

"Yes," Heero replied. "It will take us two, perhaps three weeks to reach it from here if we push hard."

"Is it wise to drive the horses at such a pace?" Zechs asked.

Heero didn't have to see Duo's glare to feel its heat. "Yes, that occurred to us. No, we wouldn't ride them into the ground. Yes, we have a solution. No, it won't hurt them. Does that answer all your questions?"

Zechs had the decency to look chastised.

Duo tugged on Heero's arm. "It's almost dark," he said, tone short and borderline hostile. "Let's stop for the night."

"We could travel another hour -" Zechs began.

"We'll stop," Heero cut him off. He reached up and stroked a single finger down Wufei's breast feathers. "Scout ahead and find a good place to make camp." The large black hawk launched into the air. "Quatre, can you sense any of those demon hunters?"

Quatre closed his eyes. "No. The nearest people are quite some way off to the east, not including the village behind us. When we make camp, shall I set up some wards?"

"Yes," Heero said. "Trowa can help you."

Wufei let out a cry and spiraled back down to Heero's shoulder. _'The forest up ahead would provide good cover. It will only take you a few minutes to get there, and I found a decent-sized clearing where we could make a fire. I'll go hunt. Maybe I can find a fat hare or two. We'll make the human prepare it for us.'_

Duo snickered.

Heero swallowed a grin. _'Thanks. We'll meet back up there.'_

_'Sure. And I'm a much better hunter than that dumb bird sitting on Zechs' shoulder.'_

_'Of course you are!'_ Duo said, sounding ridiculously affronted. _'That's just an animal.'_

Wufei preened a little before taking flight again and vanishing.

"Does he ever take a human form?" Zechs asked abruptly, and that seemed to be longing in his eyes.

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Yes, and don't ever make the mistake of thinking he's an animal, Zechs. You'll find yourself waking without certain parts of your anatomy you'd rather not do without."

Zechs gave him an indignant look. "I wouldn't make that mistake. He's just quite magnificent, that's all."

Duo made an incredibly rude sound.

In about twenty minutes they had a cozy camp set up. Trowa took over building a fire while Quatre set wards, Heero tended the horses. Crimson, Honey, and Ash all gathered around him, nosing him and snorting softly. Zechs' horse, a sturdy gelding he'd named Peaceful, nearly came unglued when Wufei ghosted into camp in his wolf form, carrying a small deer.

_'Lucky,'_ Wufei said, casting a glare toward the gelding. _'Good hunting in this forest.'_

_'Thank you, Wufei. You can eat first, if you want.'_

_'That's all right. I'd prefer a cooked meal, for a change.'_ And with that, he transformed into his full human form. He cast Zechs a challenging look. "Do you know what to do? If so, help me prepare the carcass."

When Zechs moved to obey, Duo abruptly let out a sound of disgust and rose. "I'll be back in awhile," he said, tone unfriendly, and stalked out of the camp.

Mystified and a little alarmed, Heero watched him go. _Give him a minute. _He lasted about ten seconds before standing. "You four wait here. I'll go see what's troubling him."

Was that a knowing sort of smile Quatre sent him?

Duo put his nymph blood to good use - he disappeared. It took Heero quite some time to find him, and eventually he had to resort to allowing his sylvan senses to take over. He literally sniffed Duo out, following the telltale signs of his passing and the red-hot smell of his blood. The closer he got to the nymph the more strangled his senses became, until he was no longer entirely certain he could control himself. He'd never allowed himself to do this before.

Finally, he found the other immortal youth. And reeled for all different reasons. Duo was gloriously naked, moonlight streaming down on his alabaster skin. Making his hair gleam. He'd found a pool in which to bathe, and little drops of water caught the light and winked invitingly. Heero took several steps forward, answering the call, before he caught himself and drew up short.

"Duo?" he queried softly, hoping not to startle the other.

Duo twitched, turning with slightly wide eyes. Then he blinked and looked calm again. "_Nani_?"

Good question, Heero thought, approaching again and feeling more in control now. "Are you all right? You've seemed . . . bothered by something all day."

"Not something," Duo said. Short and cool. "Some_one_. Specifically, that human."

Well, that didn't quite surprise him, he supposed. Duo had been standoffish toward Zechs since they left the village. Pausing by the water's edge, he toed off his leather boots and grasped the hem of his shirt. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Duo stared at him for a second, seeming thoroughly flummoxed. Then he shook his head. "I don't mind."

Stripping off his clothing and dropping it carelessly on the ground, he stepped into the water. It was cool but not icy. It had been a warm spring day, so it felt refreshing. He had a feeling Duo wouldn't talk about Zechs, so he opted to change the subject. He strode right into Duo's personal space, holding out his hands palm up.

"Care to purify the water with me?" As a Creator, purification was an easy task. It would be even easier since Water was Duo's element.

Those indigo eyes, made almost black by the darkness, locked on Heero's. Cool, slim fingers interlaced with his. "Sure," Duo murmured.

As they had done many times in the past, the pair reached out with their magic, power met and merged. Heero didn't miss the shiver that ran up Duo's spine as they began, and he swiftly and easily took control of the merging. The pool was surprisingly clean, but by the time they were done the water was pure enough to drink. Duo let his own magic trickle away, but Heero did not.

Duo gasped when ribbons of water began climbing up his body. "He-Heero?"

Uncertain, breathy, shy, wanting, anxious. So many things mixed up and bundled together. Just like Duo. Just like those amazing colors that made up his essence at his very core. Confusing and arousing as hell. "The water makes your skin glow," he offered.

"W-water's my element!" Duo almost whimpered.

"Yes," Heero agreed. "Do you know how incredible you'd look, wearing a gown of pure water?"

He couldn't really see it - too dark. But he could feel the heat rise in Duo's face. "It would be see-through," he whispered.

"Then you'd just have to wear it only for me," Heero replied just as low, leaning forward. The breath of each word ghosted over Duo's lips. "What do you want, Duo? Right now? Tell me." _Before I devour you._

"Ahh . . . Heero," Duo whimpered, hands coming up to cling to Heero's shoulders. "Please . . . please, kiss me."

The world shivered into stillness. _Kiss him. If I kiss him, would I be able to control myself? _There were other concerns. Sylvan had needle-sharp fangs. What if he nicked Duo's lip, or his tongue deep enough to make him bleed? If he tasted the demon-hybrid's blood, would he be able to stop himself from drinking more? _What if I hurt him? What if I damaged him? What if I made him hate me?_

The world started moving again, and Heero realized his brain and body weren't communicating any longer. He was a hairsbreadth from Duo's lips, and Duo's eyes fluttered shut, his whole body arching forward. For the first time, their lips met. Instantly heat and light and color seeped into Heero's mouth, the sweet and strange and intoxicating flavor of Duo. He jerked back, eyes blurring into the pure energy state of all life at its essence. The world around him appeared muted and hazed, but Duo stood out red and indigo and gold and vibrant and beautiful and strong and sweet Vashti he wanted _so much_ . . .

"Heero?" Duo breathed. "What's wrong?"

Control, Heero thought distantly, was for people who were not in love. Seizing Duo's arms, he dragged him close and fused their mouths together. It was spinning away. Fading out of existence. The reason he'd not done this before. Duo wanted this. So what else was there? _I won't hurt him. I won't hurt him. I won't hurt him._ He would just devour him.

He wrenched his mouth away, aware finally that he was sucking on Duo's tongue. Duo collapsed against him, panting and quivering.

"Sh-shit!" the nymph swore. "Damn you know how to kiss, 'Ro!"

Heero couldn't help it and grinned. Touching Duo felt like juggling huge, razor-sharp knives. Walking on a tightrope. Teetering on the brink of a pool of white-hot lava that would incinerate him if he touched it. Dangerous. So dangerous. So good. He let his lips fall softly on Duo's neck, forcing himself not to part them. The temptation to sink his fangs into that ivory skin would be too great. So he merely kissed, gently. Lightly. Little more than touches.

Duo shivered. "Heero . . ." Soft and low and pleading.

A plea for more.

"Duo," he hissed against the delicate arch of a white throat, "I want you." _I'm losing my mind._ "I want more." _I'm losing control._ "Let me taste you." _I'm losing myself._ "Let me hold you."

Duo moaned, his entire body pressed against Heero's. The sylvan could feel every tremor. "I want you too," he panted. "Shit, I want that too. Hurry, 'Ro. Wanted you for so long . . ."

Heero felt his body temperature rising, he was panting now. His hands slid down Duo's slender back, over the enticing curve of his spine and lower, cupping two perfect globes of soft, firm flesh and grinding forward hard, one knee pushing with ease between Duo's thighs and shifting upward. Duo arched up beautifully, a keening whine escaping his throat, which kept Heero's mouth occupied so deliciously . . .

Squeezing gently, Heero lifted until he unbalanced Duo. The nymph let out a little yelp, throwing his arms around Heero's neck. Without any further encouragement, he also wrapped his legs around Heero's waist. It caused the arousal he wasn't even aware of to slide right up against the soft warmth of the nymph's body, and Heero thought he might black out. His lips parted without any permission, and his brain caught up when he felt the tension of fang pressing against skin.

_Shit, shit. Stop, don't, control . . ._ Apparently arousal was killing his higher brain function, reducing him to a creature of need and pure instinct, acting only on his desires. And what he wanted more than anything was to taste Duo, to do so much more than absorb his life energy. To drink his blood, to feel it flow over his tongue, to succumb to the siren-sweet call. He panted against Duo's skin, teetering on the edge of a chasm with no bottom. He knew if he fell, he would never climb out again.

"'s okay, 'Ro," Duo whispered, fingers carding through Heero's hair. "You can drink my blood."

Heero swallowed thickly, the world shifting beneath his feet. So close. "Duo," he panted. "Duo . . . don't offer . . ." _How will I control myself - ?_

"I don't mind," Duo breathed, lips falling lightly on Heero's ear. "I want you to be addicted to me. I want you to see only me."

The earth crumbled into dust and Heero fell. With something that might have been a groan, might have been a growl, he firmed his jaw and his fangs sank into the smooth ivory skin. The resistance felt no more than paper.

Everything blanked out. Everything vanished into the red, indigo, gold, violet of Duo. Those colors swirled in a chaotic jumble as blood broke over Heero's tongue for the first time in his life. There were no words to describe it, there was no thought to try. It was coppery bright, metallic and slightly bitter. It was hotter than flame, it was brighter than the sun, it was darker than shadow, it was sweeter than sugar, it was smoother than wine, it was softer than silk, it was wetter than water, it was thick and hot and wet and smooth and it slid down his throat like a bolt of potency and desire and passion and -

Blink. The sensation of his mouth on skin vanished. The colors swirled madly and he struggled, aware of something holding him back. Blink.

"God damn it, Yuy, stop!"

His vision cleared in an instant, and Heero's whole body jerked. Wufei held him back, away from Duo. The nymph lay in the shallow water of one end of the pond, looking dazed. Even though his senses had returned somewhat, Heero could still feel his whole body straining subtly toward Duo. Wanting him. Needing him.

Duo sat up, and his eyes oriented on Wufei and focused. "Damn it Wufei, why'd you make him stop?"

Wufei frowned. "What do you mean why? What the hell is wrong with you, Maxwell? He was drinking your _blood_."

"I know," Duo snapped. "I said he could."

"_What_?" Wufei exclaimed. "Are you crazy, you idiot? Don't you know why sylvan don't drink blood?"

"Yes," Duo growled, "and I don't care. I _want_ him to be addicted to me. I want him to want me. I love him!"

Annoyed, Heero twisted and broke free of the _acarci_'s grip. "We'll be back to the camp in a bit," he said, voice steely and cold. Not a suggestion to leave.

Wufei hesitated. "All right. If you're both sure you're okay."

"We are," Heero said.

When he'd gone, Heero rose and moved to Duo's side, sinking down next to him. "You shouldn't have said that last part."

Duo blinked. "Why not? I don't care if he knows." He paused. "Does it . . . bother you?"

"Yes." Heero smiled. "But only because I wanted to hear those words for the first time directed at _me_."

The anxiety disappeared in the wake of a sunny smile. Duo threw his arms around Heero's neck. "I love you, 'Ro. Have for a long time now."

Heero nuzzled Duo's neck, pressing a soft kiss to the small puncture wounds. "I love you, too." The maddening need had abated. For now.

He knew he was only a matter of time before it reared its ugly head again. And next time, he doubted very much he'd be able to wait for Duo's permission.


	8. Trust is Earned

**Genre:** AU, Fantasy

**Pairings:** 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothin' but these words

**Special Note: **Dedicated to _darkneko666_ and _Demonskid_, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

**Author's Note**: I felt like starting out with a little smut. ^_~

* * *

**The Truth Behind the Lie**

_Duo rolled onto his stomach, body feeling heavy with sleep. He was blissfully comfortable, and a warm weight pressed on his back. That managed to rouse his interest a little, and suddenly he gasped when he felt moist lips land on the back of his neck. He felt a wet tongue swipe over his skin, and he recognized Heero's touch._

_"You smell delicious," Heero purred._

_Duo whined when Heero's knees pushed down on his thighs, forcing them to spread. "Heero . . ." he whimpered, feeling the gentle press up against his groin. It sparked a delicious tingle, and he felt his body responding. "Please . . ."_

_"Want you," Heero murmured._

_The gentle tongue was replaced by sharp fang. Duo gasped as he felt the points break through his skin. It felt strange, the sensation of blood being sucked past his skin. It was arousing as hell, and Duo writhed beneath Heero, wanting more sensation. He mewled his approval when a hot hand wormed down the front of his body, beneath fabric and curled around him. Heero's fingers massaged obscenely, and the other hand slid down the back of Duo's thigh to his knee. Before he knew what was happening Heero had him on his side, pulling his legs wide open. Somehow he was naked now, and he moaned when he felt something hot and hard slide right up between his thighs, pushing teasingly against him._

_"Heero . . ."_

"Don't moan my name like that, Duo."

Duo nearly jumped out of his skin, eyes snapping open to find Heero pinning him to the bedroll. It looked like almost dawn, no movement around camp yet. Duo's eyes fluttered right back shut when he realized that, like in his dream, Heero's lips were on his neck. No tongue, though. He shivered, wanting more contact. Just like in his dream.

"I was dreaming you were about to fuck me," he explained in a breathy whisper, tilting his pelvis back.

Causing his backside to nestle perfectly against Heero's groin. He felt more than heard the answering groan, deep in Heero's chest. Oh yes, his sylvan love was hard. They'd been unable to finish what they'd started yesterday, thanks to a certain meddling _acarci_. Duo honestly didn't care if the rest of the camp woke to find Heero fucking him like an animal he wanted it so bad.

Heero's lips parted. Duo's entire body tensed, anxious for the moment when that amazing and unnerving sensation stole over him. He could feel every muscle in Heero's body fair quivering as he tried to control himself. Duo didn't want the sylvan to exercise control. He wanted Heero out of control. He quickly bit his finger and dragged it over his neck toward Heero's lips. This time he clearly heard the sharp intake of breath, and he barely managed to choke off the cry when Heero's needle-sharp fangs sank into his flesh.

Oh, it hurt so crazy bad and felt so crazy good. Blood wasn't meant to be drawn out of the body like this, but it was Heero. Something in sylvan saliva prevented blood from coagulating right away, and it tingled over Duo's skin. In moments he was panting, and Heero clapped a hand over his mouth. Duo whined when he realized Heero was grinding into him, and he rocked back. Shit he wanted their clothing gone, but he couldn't slow his racing body enough to stand and tug Heero with him back into the forest. Heero pushed his face into the blankets, and Duo almost came unglued when Heero's free hand worked under his pelvis and squeezed between his thighs.

Their bodies moved fast and furious, Duo always one breath away from fainting from the overwhelming sensations. He was glad Heero thought to muffle the sounds, because he was moaning and whimpering constantly. Closer and closer Heero pushed him, his hand massaging and squeezing and stroking through the thin linen of his nightclothes. He yelped when Heero's mouth wrenched off his neck, the pain a glitter-bright counterpoint to the pleasure building in his blood. His lover wasn't done yet, though. His senses spiraled away when he felt Heero feeding on his essence. There was no pain in that, just intensity enough to steal all the remaining air from his lungs.

Then he came. It hit him hard and sudden, feeling like every ounce of strength poured out of him in a blissful flood right where Heero so skillfully manipulated. The pair of them came to a shuddering halt, and Duo's vision grayed out when Heero finally stopped. Heero's heart raced, Duo could feel it reverberating through his back.

"Sweet Vashti," Heero breathed in Duo's ear. "Don't tempt me so much, Duo. I could hurt you."

_'Never,'_ Duo replied silently. _'You couldn't hurt me, Heero. I love you.'_

He felt Heero's lips curve up. "I love you too, _sicaija_."

Duo felt like his body was losing cohesion as he melted at the incredibly loving endearment. Normally spoken between a man and a woman who'd just completed the Sacred Union. _He really loves me. I can't believe it. I thought it would never happen._ He had a feeling he was smiling like a fool, but for once he didn't care.

**o0o 0o0**

Trowa waited until he felt it was safe before moving. He made sure to 'accidentally' nudge Quatre as he sat up, bringing his golden-haired lover awake with a little grumble. Pheremones, he thought with a wince, were a bitch. _So Duo finally seduced Heero. I was wondering when that would happen. _Only problem was, thanks to their early-morning . . . activities, Trowa was now so aroused it hurt. Quatre sat up and yawned.

"Man," he muttered, "it's way too early to be awake." He looked over at the sylvan and nymph, saw them lying side-by-side as they were.

Trowa suspected a little conversation went on between the sprite and the nymph, then Quatre's pretty eyes blinked a few times. He grinned and slid Trowa a coy smile.

"We should resupply since there's water so close. Want to come with me?"

"Sure," Trowa said, quickly rising and throwing on his trousers and boots.

_'Grab some watercress if you find any,' _Wufei said sleepily, rolling onto his stomach.

The efreet half ran, half staggered into the forest with Quatre in tow. _Damn. If this keeps up, they'll find out real quick and Quatre and I are . . . then again, if Heero and Duo are intimate, likely they won't care that we are too._ He found the pool Heero and Duo had purified last night. He dropped his waterskins and whirled, grabbing Quatre and yanking him close to plant a demanding kiss on his lips.

Quatre yielded and melted with a sweet little moan. Their tongues tangled and writhed together with slick ease, Quatre not offering even token struggle for dominance. Though he loved those fierce, passionate moments, this submissive Quatre tended to inflame Trowa's lust twice as fast. He knew they wouldn't have too long, so he tumbled them down onto the cool, damp green. Quatre immediately spread his legs to make room for the efreet, arching up in a plea for more.

Never able to deny his lover, Trowa gave him more. He pressed his pelvis down on Quatre's, and oh yes, his lover was every bit as aroused as he was. He wrenched his mouth off Quatre's and dragged it down his neck and across his collar bone.

"Wha-what's gotten into you?" Quatre gasped as Trowa quickly divested them both of their garments. "You're not normally so . . . ardent first thing in the morning."

"Heero and Duo," Trowa replied, nibbling across tender pale flesh.

"Ah!" Quatre exclaimed with a little giggle. "They finally noticed each others' feelings. Why don't we tell them about us? I doubt they'd mind."

"Probably not," Trowa agreed, sliding both hands down over Quatre's flat belly and caressing his rigid arousal. "Will you be all right with something quick?"

"No!" Quatre said immediately, locking his legs around Trowa's waist. "Do it properly. Or I'll be mad at you."

Trowa hid his smirk. "All right. I don't have any oil. It's back in my saddlebags."

"Improvise!" Quatre demanded.

"Of course, angel," Trowa demurred. Maybe not so submissive after all. He pushed two fingers past Quatre's lips, his other hand continuing its ministrations between Quatre's thighs.

Quatre sucked with enthusiasm, the soft sounds of approval going straight to Trowa's groin. Not even a saint would be able to resist his lover when he was like this, Trowa was sure. A man would rethink his love of women, a woman would consent to selling her soul. He was just so utterly delectable.

There were two stages of their lovemaking that Trowa enjoyed most. First was when he first exerted pressure with his fingers over Quatre's entrance. It made the sprite tense and arch up, lips parting and a soft breath of anticipation escaping. His eyes fluttered shut when Trowa pushed slowly forward, spine arching beautifully. It made Trowa want to devour him. Trowa had scarce entered him when Quatre squirmed.

"More," he commanded.

So bossy. So cute. Trowa obeyed. Quatre bit his lower lip, muscles clenching up. The heat around Trowa's finger tightened even more, and Trowa groaned.

"Hu-hurry up," Quatre panted.

Saliva, Trowa thought with a grimace, was a poor lubricant. Just fingers then. It would make Quatre cross with him, but the sprite would thank him later in the saddle. So he removed his hand and lowered himself to take his love into his mouth.

"Tro-Trowa!" Quatre whimpered, hips jerking up.

Familiar by now with the sprite's every movement, Trowa was ready for it and gently pushed him back down. He slowly rocked his two fingers forward and back, probing deeper until he found that little bundle of nerves that made Quatre moan his approval. He felt slim fingers clench in his hair as Quatre tried to thrust into Trowa's mouth, but he easily held Quatre down with a hand across his hips. Quatre didn't even have time to protest. The second he felt Quatre's muscles clench up and back arch, he removed his arm and quickly stroked himself. A few times was all it took and he followed his lover, drinking down the unique flavor of the sprite's passion. His eyes closed in longing when he felt the hot muscle around his finger clench and then slowly relax.

Quatre melted, giving Trowa a sweet, sated smile. "So conscientious."

Trowa kissed the tip of his nose. _I'd rather not be._

When they returned to camp everyone was roused or rousing. Duo moved sluggishly, but Heero looked better than he had for a long time. Full color in his face, eyes bright and alert, and movements quick and graceful. _I wonder how long it had been since he really fed. I wonder if they'll both be okay._ It was a risky business, a sylvan drinking blood. Once they started it was supposed to be impossible to stop.

Heero's cobalt eyes met his. _'What? You've been studying me seriously since you came back to camp.'_

Trowa didn't bother trying to deny it or brush it off or change the subject. _'You and Duo,'_ he began. _'Are you going to be all right? I've heard it's dangerous for sylvan to drink blood.'_

Heero's gaze wandered over to Duo, who sat on the bedroll with eyes half closed. It surprised Trowa to see the tiny smile curve up the fey's lips. _'I can control myself. Every time I drink the desire for his blood is satisfied and disappears. Especially if I drink his essence at the same time. I'm not remotely hungry, and I know I won't be for many days. I'm madly in love with him, Trowa. I don't know many who'd be willing to do this for me. Would you want a sylvan to drink your blood?'_

Perhaps because he himself was immortal, the thought didn't repulse Trowa. It made him mildly curious. If it was Quatre, he certainly wouldn't mind. _'The thought doesn't terrify me like it does foolish humans. To help a friend, I could certainly do it.'_ He made sure the look he gave the sylvan was meaningful and direct.

Heero's head dipped slightly in acknowledgement, even with his eyes lowered it was visible how much those words meant to him.

Quatre lunged at Duo and knocked him flat. "You awake yet?" the sprite chirped.

Trowa watched with a smile as the pair wrestled around, and Wufei daintily took himself away from the action. He'd taken the form of an incredibly cute black fox, and Duo abruptly snatched him up, cuddling him under his chin.

"Gah, you're so cute like this, 'Fei!"

As Wufei tried to squirm free, Trowa watched the human neatly stash away his bedroll and nightclothes. He couldn't quite decide what to make of the Champion of Light. He seemed like a good man, but obviously he'd never been around immortals. He acted vaguely uncomfortable, and Trowa knew it bothered Duo. Probably, he thought with a little smirk, because Zechs was a natural born leader and kept challenging Heero's position as leader of this little band.

"Is everyone all right with a cold breakfast?" Zechs said, rummaging in their belongings for their food stores. No one objected, so Zechs went on. This time he looked directly at Heero. "I've been meaning to ask, why have we been traveling to this seal on horseback? I don't know a great deal about magic, but I do know it's possible to open doorways between one place and another."

Heero, looking calm as ever, opened his mouth to reply, but Duo beat him to it.

"What you mean is," he said waspishly, "you don't know _any_thing about magic. We're being targeted by a hostile group who will have the ability to sense when we use magic. Creating a 'doorway' - as you call it - between one place and another makes a significant surge. The further the distance, the bigger the surge. We might as well just march right up to them and say, "Here we are!" and make their job all the easier."

"Duo -" Heero said, looking vaguely . . . pained.

Zechs abruptly rose to his feet. He looked a little upset, but Trowa couldn't tell what had bothered him. He looked down at Trowa. "May I speak with you a moment?"

Surprised, Trowa obliged and followed the human away from the camp. Out of earshot was a stretch - most fey and demons had far better hearing than a human. Personally, Trowa didn't care about that. He was just curious as to why the human called him out. So he held his piece and waited for Zechs to start.

"I don't quite know how to ask this," the man began, "and please understand it is not my intent to cause offense. Merely understand."

Trowa inclined his head.

"Thank you. It's about Heero."

"I rather suspected as much," Trowa said a little dryly. "What about him? And please understand, he is one of my closest friends." A warning.

Now Zechs nodded. "I confess, my concerns are most likely sprung from ignorance, but . . . do vampires really drink blood?"

Sighing, Trowa firmly reminded himself irritation at Zechs was counterproductive and pointless. It wasn't his fault that humans were so misinformed. "First, they are called sylvan, and contrary to human belief they are fey, not demonic. Sylvan _can_ drink blood, but in truth they rarely do. They prefer to feed on the life essence of others, because it is far less harmful."

Zechs shuddered. "It doesn't sound like it."

Trowa pinched the bridge of his nose. "Think of it this way. If you were a tall glass filled with liquid that was your life essence, a sylvan feeding on it would consume less than one quarter of the liquid. That's not enough for you to even feel tired, and by the next day it would be regenerated. Unlike blood, life essence recovers very quickly."

"I see," Zechs said, looking thoughtful.

"Let me tell you something else," Trowa went on after a moment. "Most sylvan tremendously dislike feeding on others, and Heero is no exception. Back in the fey countries, sylvan will only feed on sylvan. Heero would never feed on you without your consent. And while I'm assuaging your worries, let me tell you one more thing." Trowa smirked. "With Duo around, Heero wouldn't even be interested in feeding on you. Human blood and life essence are plain and boring, while Duo - as a demon-fey hybrid - is an exotic clash of colors and flavors Heero can't resist. Why would he drink water when he can drink wine?"

To Trowa's amusement, Zechs looked insulted. "I see. Well, thank you for answering my questions. If the six of us have a destiny, I do feel it's necessary to understand and respect each other."

"Certainly," Trowa agreed. "On that note, I have one more thing. The four of us will never follow your lead over Heero's. He has been our leader since we entered the Sacred Grove years ago. I'm only telling you this because you've created an odd undercurrent of tension. We don't know you, Zechs, but we know and trust Heero. Try to see it from our perspective."

Zechs blinked, then had the decency to look abashed. "I . . . yes. I understand what you mean. I do rather have the bad habit of assuming command. I always did it at home, too. My father jokingly said I must have been a prince."

Trowa smiled faintly. "Perhaps you are. I'm not saying you will never be a leader among us. All I'm saying is, you can't expect us to immediately trust you. Earn our trust, and our feelings may change."

Zechs bowed his head a little. "Again, thank you. You've brought to my attention things I never considered, and I daresay it never occurred to me that my attitude was the reason Duo doesn't seem to like me. I'll do my best to remedy that at once."

"I know you will. You seem like a good man." Leaving him with that, Trowa turned and headed back to camp.

_'What was that all about?'_ Quatre immediately accosted him, right on the tail of Duo's arctic,

_'What the hell did he want?'_

_'He had a few questions,'_ Trowa replied to them both, _'and I let him know Heero has been and always will be our leader. I believe he is a good man and will try to fit in with us.'_

No sooner had he finished sending these thoughts to the two fey than Zechs reentered camp, looking determined. He cleared his throat. Wufei, still in the form of a black fox, looked up from where he sat right next to Heero, accepting scraps of meat.

"I believe I owe all of you an apology," the human said, looking a bit awkward. "I never even tried to get along with the five of you, I just tried to assert my dominance." He smiled crookedly.

Quatre giggled. Duo seemed to thaw a _little_.

"I especially feel the need to apologize to you, Duo," Zechs continued, obviously startling Duo. "I can see you're very much in love with Heero, so you must have felt my . . . attitude was a personal attack. I assure you that was never my intent, and from now on I will pay attention to what I say. You five are definitely not weak humans." A small grin.

His words, Trowa saw with an inward grin, appeased Quatre and Wufei immediately. Heero, as always, was harder to read, but the sylvan did nod as if in acquiescence. Duo looked quite shocked, though over which part Trowa didn't know. Then the nymph-demon broke into a manic grin.

"That's right we're not weak humans. Stick with us, and neither will you be."

Zechs, Quatre, and even Wufei burst into laughter. Trowa chuckled, and Heero smiled faintly. Well, it was a start and Trowa was pleased. With a few words Zechs had managed to smooth the ruffled feathers and endear himself to the five immortals. _He'll be an excellent Champion of Light._


End file.
